Hertz - Beware using Hertz in Ireland

I arranged a car for my parents at DUB for a weekend. On arrival they declined all coverage as they are covered by their credit cards. When the bill came through there was a 25 Euros admin recovery fee added on top of the total charges, this was on the rental agreement they signed at the counter but they were not notified of it. I have emailed twice and now have received an email back from Hertz saying the charge is added when the customer declines the coverage to cover Hertz' charges in case of damage.

I will be emailing Hertz again as i am still not satisfied but just wanted to warn others.

I arranged a car for my parents at DUB for a weekend. On arrival they declined all coverage as they are covered by their credit cards. When the bill came through there was a 25 Euros admin recovery fee added on top of the total charges, this was on the rental agreement they signed at the counter but they were not notified of it. I have emailed twice and now have received an email back from Hertz saying the charge is added when the customer declines the coverage to cover Hertz' charges in case of damage.

I will be emailing Hertz again as i am still not satisfied but just wanted to warn others.

Would be interested in hearing the end result of this. I rent at DUB regularly and have not encountered this before. I use my US Diners Card and decline the CDW and liability insurance.

I'm thinking that is the airport recovery fee that they charge as well here in the States when you pick up the car at the airport. Its a fee that you I don't believe you can get around (although if you don't rent that often and complain enough, i'm sure you can probably get it taken off).

this was on the rental agreement they signed at the counter but they were not notified of it.
They were notified in writing. They simply chose not to read what was put in front of them before signing.

They were notified in writing. They simply chose not to read what was put in front of them before signing.

Even if they had of seen it though it was 11p.m in DUB if they could have actually managed to get a car elsewhere they would have been truly stung and driving in the early hours.
It wasn't the airport fee, as that is noted elsewhere and was included in the total approximate charges. Surely in the optional extras section online where the waivers etc. are this should be noted. The point that irks me is that i believe it is a made up charge by the agent to make up the money they are not receiving from the insurances.

Surely in the optional extras section online where the waivers etc. are this should be noted. The point that irks me is that i believe it is a made up charge by the agent to make up the money they are not receiving from the insurances.

You mean that this should be noted in the Hertz online where they present the waivers?

At least under Super-CDW there is the following note:

"If you choose to rely on your credit card for cover, we strongly recommend that you fully understand the terms and conditions of any cover provided by your credit card company before you decline any of our optional services. Please note an administration fee of EUR 25.00 will apply for the use of this cover."

I didn't bother to check the rest of the waivers.

oops, never seen that, guess i will never use hertz in ireland then

oops, never seen that, guess i will never use hertz in ireland then

Very well hidden :D

But is that really a reason for dropping Hertz Ireland? We all know that Hertz is not the cheapest but 25EUR / rental is not so much.

But is that really a reason for dropping Hertz Ireland? We all know that Hertz is not the cheapest but 25EUR / rental is not so much.

They visit quite often usually for 2 days only so it adds up to quite an amount over the year.

You mean that this should be noted in the Hertz online where they present the waivers?

At least under Super-CDW there is the following note:

"If you choose to rely on your credit card for cover, we strongly recommend that you fully understand the terms and conditions of any cover provided by your credit card company before you decline any of our optional services. Please note an administration fee of EUR 25.00 will apply for the use of this cover."

I didn't bother to check the rest of the waivers.

So you have to look up information about a waiver in order to find out what happens if you DON'T get it?

Next they'll add a "didn't rent a big enough car fee" that you only see if you look for information about fullsize and above cars. Of course, the fee will only apply if you rent a smaller car.

FYI, MasterCard will no longer provide this coverage in Ireland (or Israel or Jamaica) as of Sept 1.

FYI, MasterCard will no longer provide this coverage in Ireland (or Israel or Jamaica) as of Sept 1.


Could you give some more details? Does that leave Diners as the only option for credit card insurance?

Could you give some more details? Does that leave Diners as the only option for credit card insurance?

Unfortunately, I don't really have any more to give :) . I just got an insert on the new Master Rental rules with my last credit card statement; I think this was the main change. I'm not sure if the other credit card companies provide coverage in these countries.

Just went there twice in the past two weekends, all one-day rentals, and got the €25 charge. They said it's "just in case there's an accident." This is outrageous, and my credit card DOES cover Irish car rentals. Visa no longer covers it, but Mastercard does.

I just noticed that all my Irish Hertz rentals this year had this 25 Euro charge. It is **not** part of the online quote, but as mentioned above, is added in when you decline CDW. How does this fee square with Hertz policy - seems like a "hidden" charge to me, given that most US customers are used to using CC CDW coverage.

That was how I felt.. I didn't even see that anywhere and only got it at the end. Never again :td:

Need a car from Sunday to Friday. We were planning on spending Sunday night in Dublin so I was just going to get the cat on Monday and take off. Turns our Hertz has the cheapest rates (by alot) and I save 60 Euros by picking up the car on Sunday for the weekly rate rather than Monday.

FYI - Mastercard no longer covers CDW in Ireland.

HAs anyone been charged this 25 euro charge recently? Also, with Diners Club partnered with Mastercard, will we still be able to get primary insurance with Diners Club?

I was in DUB last month and am looking at my receipt now and there is no 25 Euro charge (there's a charge of 22.91 - as location service charge - typical franchise fee and VAT of 22.12 - sales tax). I used my Diners Club/Mastercard to pay and I still get the insurance coverage. That's my primary reason for keeping the card!

I called Hertz in Ireland today and they said that if you dont get the insurance, you dont have to charge the 25 Euro fee but they will put a 5000 euro authorization on your card "just in case". Its apparently in the fine print.

Now get this: Called DC and said if such an authorization is put, you are no longer covered under their primary insurance as even though you declined the insurance, the fact that they are "taking out that insurance by putting an authorization" voids your insurance as DC specifically states you must decline and have no other LDW insurance on the car (apparently the hold is some sort of "insurance" held by the company). They even said depending on what they state the 25 Euro fee, it "could" also void your insurance.

DC claims this is a trick Hertz in Ireland uses to make you get their insurance. Hertz says "this is our way of protecting ourselves as most credit cards dont cover Ireland".

So bottom line, I have to pay $75 more a week to get insurance directly from Hertz which I think may just be worth it. However, even that is not full coverage as I heard In Ireland they have LDW insurance the then Super LDW. If you dont get Super LDW you are responsible for 500-1000 deductible.

What a mess!!